First Shots with the Hawkeye

This had started out as a fun 3-day weekend at the farm. It turned into a hard slog. However, I did get deer camp mowed and I did get to shoot some of the rifles I treated with Dyna Bore Coat. I am impressed. The point of the exercise was to get the new coating baked in by running a several rounds through the rifles. All of these rifles, most of them had new scopes on them as well, so we were not quite sure where they were going to shoot. Of the 4, the one I had the greatest interest was my new Ruger Hawkeye in 30-06.

The Hawkeye

For the baking-in, I had some leftover 150 Hornady FMJBT’s. These are certainly not going to be my choice in deer load. The point was more to provide heat and pressure rather than to check accuracy. The first shot left me with a clean target. On the second shot, we realized the rounds were going into the target to the left of the one I had intended. As far as I could tell after sending 6 rounds downrange was that three or four went through the same ragged hole. Without trying, I managed to shoot the best 100 yard group of my life. It left me quite impressed with the rifle, the Bushnell Elite 3200 scope, and the new bore coating. I am sorry I have no pictures to show of it. The camera was acting up for Angus. He only got one of me.

The Savage 110

KYHillChick’s Hand of God in 30-06 shot a predictable 1 inch group with the hunting loads I had cooked for Angus a couple of years ago. What made it special was that this was the best group I had ever seen out of Angus. Something special was going on.

The Mauser 25-06

Since last hunting season, I had changed out the scope. It has a new Bushnell Trophy 4-12X40 on it. We were shooting rather rapidly, so the barrels could heat up. As a result I noticed vertical stringing that I had not previously seemed. However, it was all in a perfect straight line. I do not plan any modifications at present– it is a hunting rifle and will seldom be shot with a hot barrel.

The Winchester 670 30-06

This was the first time Angus had an opportunity to fire his new deer rifle I gifted him on Father’s Day. Hunter and rifle bonded immediately. It fits him like a glove. I put a Bushnell Banner 3-9X40 on it. He asked to keep the Weaver Pivot Mounts. He pulled a nice group from the bench and then tried a little off-hand work at water-filled bottles and such. I did not feel it as much when we were together at the gunsmithing bench, but I sure felt it out on the porch as he was firing. I passed on 30 years of my life in that stroke. It may have been a cheap rifle when it was new, and it was dirty mess when I got it, but to me it was gold.